Upholstered furniture component connection system

ABSTRACT

An upholstered component, such as panels, assembled onto a furniture frame or a chair mechanism by way of a connection system provides a robust connection and economical manufacturing process. The connection includes a T-nut and a spacer attached on opposite sides of a wood form to be upholstered. The threaded barrel of the T-nut inserted in a hole through the wood form and with T-nut prongs embedding into a surface of the side of the wood form that will be facing outwardly on the furniture. The spacer is inserted into the hole at the opposite side of the wood form and is retained therein by an interference fit. The wood form is upholstered and is then attached to the furniture frame or mechanism with a bolt connecting to the furniture frame or mechanism and then extending through the spacer, into the hole and into the threaded barrel of the T-nut.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/399,444, filed Apr. 30, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,060,547, whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/664,715, filed Apr. 30, 2018, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This invention relates to upholstered furniture. More specifically, thisinvention relates to upholstered components attached to a chair or sofaframe. Even more specifically, this invention relates to attachingupholstered panels to frames or other mechanisms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Upholstered furniture typically has upholstered components, such aspanels, that are attached to chair or sofa frames or chair mechanisms.The upholstered components include a substrate or wood form such as awood board cut to a specific shape or two or more cut wood boardssecured together. “Wood” herein includes wood products such as particleboard, chip board, and plywood. “Wood form” includes a single wood pieceor several wood pieces secured together such as by glue and fasteners.The wood pieces or forms are covered with layers of material, forexample a layer of padding and an outer exposed upholstery fabric orother upholstery material. The layers of padding and outer exposedupholstery material have edge portions that are secured, such as bystapling, onto an inside facing surface of the wood piece or wood formwith the outside facing surface of the wood form covered without anyexposed free edges of the layers of material. The upholstered wood pieceor form needs to be securely attached to the frames or mechanisms afterbeing covered with the layers of material.

One specific example of a piece of upholstered furniture havingupholstered components that need attachment are recliners. Reclinershave mechanisms that allow users to transition from a seated to areclined position while being supported by the recliner. For the comfortof the user, the end of the mechanism is connected to an ottoman, whichis an upholstered component, supporting the feet and/or legs in thereclined positions. Referring to Prior Art FIGS. 17 and 18, in oneconventional construction technique, holes 9 are provided to the woodpiece or wood form 10 before the layers of upholstery material areapplied and T-nuts 11 are secured to outside facing surface 12 of thewood form. An oblong spacer 13 with an oblong apertures 14 and astapling tab 15 is attached to the inside facing surface 16 of the woodform, with the holes positioned inside the elongate aperture, bystapling the tab. The upholstered layers of material may then be appliedto the wood piece or form. The bulky oblong spacer must be avoided whenapplying the upholstery. The upholstered panel or form is then securedto the frame or mechanism with a bolt extending though a bracket orportion of the frame or mechanism, through the attached elongate spacerand into the T-nut that is secured to the outside surface of the woodform that is part of the upholstered panel or upholstered form. Theinside surface is not generally exposed on the upholstered furniture.The oblong spacer is not conducive to automated assembly and uses morematerial than is necessary to effectively create space between theottoman wood piece and the bracket. Also, it provides bulk that must beaccommodated during the upholstery application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Upholstered furniture with upholstered components, such as panels,assembled onto a furniture frame or a chair mechanism by way of aconnection system provides a robust connection and economicalmanufacturing process. In embodiments, the connection comprises a T-nutand a spacer configured as a bushing with a central bore and with twoadjacent axial portions, a first portion of the spacer having a firstlesser outside diameter and a second portion of the spacer having asecond greater outside diameter. The T-nut and spacer attach onopposites sides of a wood form to be upholstered, the threaded barrel ofthe T-nut inserted in a hole through the wood form and with T-nut prongsembedding into a surface of the side of the wood form that will befacing outwardly on the furniture, the spacer is inserted into the holeat the opposite side of the wood form and is retained therein by aninterference fit. The wood form is upholstered and is then attached tothe furniture frame or mechanism with a bolt connecting to the furnitureframe or mechanism and then extending through the spacer, into the holeand into the threaded barrel of the T-nut. The bolt is tightenedcompressing the wood form and spacer and the connection portion of thefurniture frame of mechanism between the bolt head and the T-nut.

The spacers described herein may be cylindrical or prismatic portionsthat receive a single bolt and are secured using an interference fitbetween the spacer and the wall of a hole a wood form and/or the barrelof a T-nut placed in the hole. The interference fit prevents the spacerfrom shifting or falling out of position while moved around duringassembly. Using individual spacers that utilize an interference fit foreach hole decreases the total amount of polymer material used forspacers compared to the conventional oblong spacer, uses lesscomponents, is less expensive, and is more conducive to automatedassembly processes.

The connection system, in embodiments having a spacer, a T-nut, and abolt. In embodiments, the spacer is polymeric and has two sections, ananchor portion and a separator portion. In embodiments, the anchorportion is cylindrical with a bore extending through the center. Theoutside diameter of the anchor portion is sized to create aninterference fit with the ottoman wood form at the hole having an insidediameter less that the outside diameter of the anchor portion. Theinterior diameter is sized to create an interference fit with the outerdiameter of the T-nut. In embodiments, only one of the two interferencefits are required. The end of the anchor portion may be chamfered on theinner or outer diameter or both. In embodiments, the height of theanchor portion is less than the thickness of the ottoman wood form. Theseparator portion is cylindrical or prismatic with an outer diameterlarger than the outer diameter of the anchor portion and the diameter ofthe hole in the ottoman wood form. The difference in diameter provides aflat shoulder at the juncture that lies flush against the ottoman woodform when assembled. In embodiments a flange may be added at thejuncture for more surface area engagement with the wood form. The lengthof the separator portion is determined by the desired space between theottoman wood form and the bracket as the separator portion defines thatdistance. When assembled the T-nut is secured in the hole in the ottomanwood form with the flange flush to the ottoman wood form and prongsextending into the wood form. The anchor portion of the spacer isinserted into the hole in the ottoman wood form with the T-nut insidethe bore of the anchor portion and the exterior diameter of the anchorportion is in contact with the inner diameter of the hole in the base.The shoulder of the separator portion is flush to the ottoman wood form.Upholstery is applied over the ottoman wood form with the upholsteryportion covering the side of the ottoman wood form with the flange ofthe T-nut. The bolt is inserted through the hole in the bracket, thespacer, and the T-nut. The system may be assembled manually, byautomation, or a combination of both.

In an embodiment, a recliner mechanism for a chair having a retractableottoman has a robust connection system as described herein for attachingan upholstered ottoman component, to the mechanism. The reclinermechanism extends the recliner from an upright seating position to areclined position. The recliner mechanism having an ottoman bracketmovable from a retracted tucked-in position below a seat, to an elevatedoutward position. The ottoman bracket having a pair of spaced holes forattachment of the upholstered ottoman component. The upholstered ottomancomponent comprising an ottoman wood form, which may be a wood panel,with an upholstered side that is positioned on the outside of therecliner mechanism when the recliner is in the upright seating positionand that faces upward when the recliner is in the reclined position sothat the feet and/or legs of the user rest on the upholstered side. Theottoman wood form covered with upholstery material and having a holewith the T-nut on an outside facing surface of the wood form, a spacerwith cylindrical portions having an interference fit in the hole, and abolt extending through the ottoman bracket, through the spacer, throughthe hole, and threadingly engaged with the T-nut.

A feature and advantage of embodiments is that the upholstered componentis separated from the metal bracket, polymer spacers are sandwichedbetween the wood form and the metal bracket, the polymer providing aresilient contact surface, softer than metal, for making a secureengagement with the metal bracket and the wood form. A feature andadvantage of embodiments is that the surface area of the polymer spacersas described herein that contacts the wood form and metal bracket isminimized allowing facilitating direct contact between the spacer andthe wood form. That is the spacer may extend through a relativelyinconspicuous slit or hole in the upholstery without creating asignificant visual anomaly. Additionally, where the upholstery issandwiched between the spacer and the wood form, the minimal surfacearea of engagement allows compression of the minimal amount ofupholstery, compared to the prior art spacers, and a more secure anduniform connection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a recliner in accord withembodiments.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upholstered ottoman componentsuitable for the recliner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the upholstered ottoman component of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the ottoman component of FIGS. 2and 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a spacer from one end.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the spacer of FIG. 5 from an oppositeend.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the spacer of FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a T-nut in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a wood form before drilling holes inaccord with embodiments.

FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the wood form of FIG. 9 with holestherein.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of a T-nut and spacer engaged with awood form in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a view of a wood form with spacers secured therein.

FIG. 12 is a view of a zippered upholstery case for securing to a woodform in accord with embodiments.

FIG. 13 is a view of upholstery layers comprising an outer upholsterylayer and a foam layer.

FIG. 14 is the wood form of FIG. 11 which is suitably ready forapplication of one of the upholstery case of FIG. 12 or the upholsterylayers of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15A is an exploded cross sectional view of a connection in accordwith embodiments.

FIG. 15B is the components of FIG. 15A in an assembled state.

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of an automated assembly system in accordwith embodiments.

FIG. 17 is a prior art view of a spacer.

FIG. 18 is a prior art view of a wood form with a spacer and T-nuts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an upholstered chair 20, specifically a recliner,with a recliner mechanism 22, is shown in an extended reclined position.The recliner mechanism has an ottoman bracket 26 with an upholsteredottoman component 28 secured thereto by a connection system 30. Theupholstered component 28 is further illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 separatedfrom the recliner mechanism and has an upholstery case 34. The case hasan outer upholstery layer 35, a backing fabric 36 stitched to theupholstery layer 35, and a zipper 38. Spacers 40, part of the connectionsystem 30, are illustrated extending through the case at apertures orslits 42.

Referring to FIGS. 5-7, further details of the spacer 40 in accord withembodiments, are illustrated. The spacer has a body 43 including twocylindrical portions, an anchor portion 44, and a separator portion 46,the separator portion 46 having an outside diameter D1 that is greaterthan the outside diameter D2 of the anchor portion 44. A shoulder 47with a stop surface 48 extends between the anchor portion outer surface50 and the separator portion outer surface 52. In embodiments, a flange53 may be placed at the juncture 54 of the anchor portion 44 andseparator portion 46. See FIG. 7. A bore 56 defined by an interiorsurface 57 extends axially through the spacer body 43. The end 58 of thespacer may have tapered surfaces 59, 60 for facilitating installation asdescribed below. See FIG. 6. The spacer 40 may be formed of a polymermaterial, for example, polyethylenes, polyurethanes, nylons, or thelike, and may be injection molded.

Referring to FIG. 8, a T-nut 62, part of the connection system 30, has aflange portion 64 with a plurality of prongs 66 unitary with andextending therefrom and a unitary barrel portion 68 having an enlargedportion 70 with a diameter D3 and a reduced diameter portion 72 with adiameter D4. The enlarged portion 70 and reduced diameter portion 72maybe generally cylindrical or may have a taper. In such a case, theaverage diameter D3 of the enlarged portion is greater than the averagediameter D4 of the reduced diameter portion. Opposing prongs having aninside dimension of D5. The barrel 68 has a threaded inside wall 74.Such T-nuts are commonly used in furniture construction and are stampedfrom metal. In embodiments, the T-nut barrel may have nubs 75 or teethprojecting from the enlarged portion 70 to grab into the anchor portion.In embodiments, the prongs 66 may have teeth or ridges to facilitateengagement with a surface.

Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a wood form 78 is cut to size for theparticular upholstery application. Holes 80 are drilled at the specificlocations for attachment to the furniture frame including ottomanbrackets on recliner mechanisms. The holes may be constant diameter and,in embodiments, are sized for providing an interference fit with theanchor portions 44 of the spacers 40 and are oversized with respect tothe barrel of the T-nuts and are undersized with respect to the insidedimension D5 between opposing prongs. The wood form has an inwardlyfacing surface 82 and an outwardly facing surface 84. Hole 80 has alength extending from inwardly facing surface 82 to outwardly facingsurface 84. In that the wood form portrayed is symmetrical about a planethrough the form, there is no difference at this point which side isinwardly facing and which side is outwardly facing.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate the connection system 30 components of thespacer 40, T-nut 62, and wood form 78. The anchor portion 44 having aninterference fit with wood form 78 in the hole and also the enlargedportion 70 of the barrel 68 of the T-nut 62. In embodiments, the anchorportion 44 may have the interference fit with one of the wood form 78and T-nut 62 but not the other. In embodiments, the anchor portion 44has a length less than the length of the hole. In embodiments, theanchor portion 44 has a length more than one half of the length of thehole. In embodiments, the anchor portion 44 has a length between 85 and98 percent of the length of the hole. The end 58 of the anchor portion44 may have a taper or tapers 59, 60 to act as guide-in surfaces forengagement with the T-nut 62, as best shown in FIG. 6. In embodiments,the spacer 40 may be inserted into the hole 80 at the side of the woodform 78 that will face inwardly with respect to the furniture frame ormechanism to which it is attached before the T-nut 62 is installed toact as a guide for placement of the T-nut 62. The spacer 40 is inserteduntil the stop surface 48 of the shoulder 47 abuts up against the insidefacing surface 82 of the wood form 78. The T-nut 62 is hammered to drivethe prongs 66 into the wood form 78 guided by the spacer 40. The spacer40 should be held in place allowing the barrel 68 to be driven into theanchor portion 44. The spacers 40 then extend from the holes as shown inFIG. 11 at the side 88 of the wood form 78 that will face inwardly whenassembled with the furniture frame or mechanism. The inwardly facingside 88 having the inwardly facing surface 82. The side 90 and surface84 that will face outwardly is illustrated in FIG. 14 with the T-nutflanges 64 exposed on the outwardly facing surface 84. In embodiments,the upholstery may be pinched between the spacer shoulder 47 and thesurface 82.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 12, upholstery systems suitable for thewood form of FIGS. 9B and 14 are illustrated. The upholstery case 34 ofFIG. 12 is assembled to the dimensions of the wood form and has an outerexposed upholstery material 35, a backing fabric 36 stitched to theupholstery outer material, and a zipper 38 defining an opening 96 intowhich the wood form may be inserted. The case may have additionalupholstery layer or layers inside such as a foam layer.

FIG. 13 illustrates a piece of outwardly exposed upholstery material 100that may be wrapped around the wood form with a layer of cushioning foam102 between the wood form 78 and the upholstery material 100. The edgeportions 104 may be attached to the inwardly facing surface 82 of thewood form 78 by staples.

Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, an exploded view and an assembled viewof the connection system 30 such as also shown in FIG. 1 for attachingan upholstered component 28, assembled as described above. Theconnection system includes a bolt 110 that extends through a hole 112 ina bracket, then is inserted into the spacer 40 that has previously beeninstalled in the wood form 78 and is then threadably engaged with thethreaded barrel 68 of the T-nut 62. A lock nut 113 may facilitate theintegrity of the connection 114. The separator portion 46 may have acylindrical outer surface 52 or may have a plurality of flats with apolygonal cross section.

Referring to FIG. 16, a schematic of an exemplary automatedmanufacturing system 150 is illustrated. The generally cylindricalspacers 40 may be loaded into a hopper 156 and arranged throughequipment 158 to be put into a line of the spacers to be conveyed by aconveyor 160. At the same time a supply 166 or stack of wood forms 78are serially fed to a first work station 168 where the holes are drilledin the proper location. The wood forms 78 with holes 80 are thenserially conveyed to a second work station 172 where the spacers areinstalled at the to-be inwardly facing surface 82 and the T-nuts 62 areinstalled on the to-be outwardly facing surface 84 by pneumatics or thelike. Referring to FIGS. 10 and 16, the anchor portion 44 of the spacer40 is inserted in the holes 80 and may be used as a guide for theprecise alignment of the T-nut barrels 68, or the equipment may beprecise enough to center the T-nut barrel 68 in the hole 80 providingthe proper annulus between the T-nut barrel 68 and wood form 78, withoutthe spacer 40 therein, to interferingly receive the anchor portion 44 ofthe spacer 40. The T-nuts 62 and spacers 40 may be forced in with ahammer action by the equipment. Tapered surfaces 59, 60 may assist inthe smooth entry of spacer 40 into hole 80 and further act asinstallation guides, such that barrel 68 slides within anchor portion asbarrel 68 is forced within spacer 40.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoingembodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novelcombination, of the features disclosed in this specification (includingany incorporated by reference references, any accompanying claims,abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination,of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. The above referencesin all sections of this application are herein incorporated byreferences in their entirety for all purposes.

Although specific examples have been illustrated and described herein,it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that anyarrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose could be substitutedfor the specific examples shown. This application is intended to coveradaptations or variations of the present subject matter. Therefore, itis intended that the invention be defined by the attached claims andtheir legal equivalents, as well as the following illustrative aspects.The above described aspects embodiments of the invention are merelydescriptive of its principles and are not to be considered limiting.Further modifications of the invention herein disclosed will occur tothose skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications aredeemed to be within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An upholstered chair or sofa comprising: afurniture frame, the furniture frame being one of a wooden frame or arecliner mechanism and at least one upholstered component attached tothe wooden frame or recliner mechanism by way of a connection system,the upholstered component comprising an underlying wood form having anexterior facing side, an interior facing side, and a plurality of holesextending therethrough, and a plurality of upholster layers including anouter exposed layer wrapped over the exterior facing side and attachedto the frame facing side at edge portions of the outer exposed layer,the connection system comprising a plurality of spacers, plurality ofT-nuts, and a plurality of bolts, wherein each spacer comprises a spacerbore extending through the spacer with an inner diameter defining thespacer bore, an anchor portion and a unitary separator portion, theanchor portion having an outer diameter, the separator portion having anouter diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the anchorportion, and the spacer having a shoulder or flange at or proximate to ajuncture between the separator portion and the anchor portion, whereinthe shoulder has a shoulder surface that is substantially perpendicularto the outer surface of the separator portion, wherein each T-nutcomprises a flange with a plurality of prongs, a barrel extending fromthe flange, the barrel with internal threads and having a barrel outerdiameter, wherein each of the plurality of holes has one of theplurality of T-nuts and one of the plurality of spacers associatedtherewith, the barrel of the one T-nut positioned in the respective holewith the flange of said T-nut in contact with the exterior facingsurface surrounding the respective hole and the plurality of prongs ofsaid flange extending into the wood form at the respective hole, saidone of the plurality of spacers having its respective anchor portionengaged with the wood form in said respective hole and said anchorportion also engaged with the barrel of the respective T-nut in saidhole, whereby the spacer is secured in said hole; wherein one of theplurality of bolts extends from one of the wooden frame or reclinermechanism and extends through the spacer bore, and is threadably engagedin the barrel of the T-nut, whereby the spacer is compressed between thefurniture frame and upholstered component.
 2. The assembled upholsteredpiece of furniture of claim 1, wherein the assembled upholstered pieceof furniture is a recliner.
 3. The assembled upholstered piece offurniture of claim 1, wherein an end of the anchor portion of the spaceropposite the shoulder has a taper extending towards an outer surface ofthe spacer.
 4. The assembled upholstered piece of furniture of claim 1,wherein an end of the anchor portion of the spacer opposite the shoulderhas a taper extending towards the spacer bore.
 5. The assembledupholstered piece of furniture of claim 1, wherein an end of the anchorportion of the spacer is compressed between the hole and the barrel ofthe T-nut.
 6. The assembled upholstered piece of furniture of claim 1,wherein the barrel of the T-nut does not contact the respective holewhen the spacer is inserted into the hole.
 7. The assembled upholsteredpiece of furniture of claim 1, wherein the barrel of the T-nut has anenlarged diameter portion and a reduced diameter portion, wherein thereduced diameter portion has an outer diameter that is less than anouter diameter of the enlarged diameter portion.
 8. The assembledupholstered piece of furniture of claim 7, wherein the enlarged diameterportion of the barrel abuts the flange.
 9. The assembled upholsteredpiece of furniture of claim 8, wherein the anchor portion of the spaceroverlaps the enlarged diameter portion of the T-nut when the spacer andthe T-nut are each fully inserted into the respective hole.
 10. Theassembled upholstered piece of furniture of claim 1, wherein the spaceris injection molded.
 11. The assembled upholstered piece of furniture ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of prongs comprise a plurality of barbs.12. The assembled upholstered piece of furniture of claim 1, wherein theflange of the T-nut is in contact with a layer of cushioning foam. 13.An upholstered piece of furniture comprising: an upholstered chair orsofa, an upholstered ottoman component, and a bracket therebetween; anda connection system for attachment of the upholstered ottoman componentto the bracket, the connection system comprising a spacer, a T-nuthaving a flange and body with an outer parameter, wherein the spacercomprises an anchor portion and a separator portion, the anchor portionhaving a bore, an inner parameter defining the bore, and an outerparameter and the separator portion having an outer parameter largerthan the outer parameter of the anchor portion, wherein the spacertransitions stepwise between the outer parameter of the anchor portionand the outer parameter of the separator portion, and wherein the outerparameter of the anchor portion is sized to create an interference fitwith the parameter of a hole of the upholstered ottoman component. 14.The upholstered piece of furniture of claim 13, wherein the innerparameter of the anchor portion is sized to create an interference fitwith the outer parameter of the body of the T-nut.
 15. The upholsteredpiece of furniture of claim 13, wherein the upholstered ottomancomponent comprises a wood form, the wood form having an outwardlyfacing side with an outwardly facing surface, an inwardly facing sidewith an inwardly facing surface.
 16. The upholstered piece of furnitureof claim 15, wherein the hole of the upholstered ottoman componentextends through the wood form from the outwardly facing side to theinwardly facing side.
 17. The upholstered piece of furniture of claim13, wherein the separator portion is positioned between the bracket andthe upholstered ottoman component.
 18. The upholstered piece offurniture of claim 13, wherein the separator portion has a cylindricalexterior surface.
 19. The upholstered piece of furniture of claim 13,wherein the separator portion having a plurality of flat sides and apolygonal cross sectional shape.
 20. The upholstered piece of furnitureof claim 13, wherein the T-nut comprises a threaded barrel.